Ages of Anticipation: Book 2 Questions of Belief
by Corianin
Summary: With things heating up for Bella as well as getting more intense for everyone around her, and things looming on the horizon that not even the most gifted seer can predict, will she find a way to balance what she HAS to do with what she WANTS to do?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: So it's been ages. I know. And I apologize for keeping everyone waiting, and I thank all of you wonderful people who have sent me such lovely messages inquiring after my stories. As of this point I have definitely started writing again, but as I have to have my cat, my baby boy, my best friend of 13 years, put down at the end of this week, it might take me a bit to crawl back out of the bottom of the bottle of Jack I plan to dive into so I can't guarantee exactly how often I'll be updating. It will be coming though - I actually have several chapters already fleshed out as I speak. Still, here's the beginning of Questions of Belief. Until next time! :)

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"You think you saw a what?" Bella wasn't sure she'd heard him properly, but the stunned light in his eyes and the reverence with which he'd spoken led her to believe she had.

"I think...I'm fairly certain I saw an angel."

"Like, an angel angel? Where?"

"In the backyard. Just inside the treeline."

"You're serious." He nodded, and she felt her mind whirling. Even though she wasn't religious at all, she knew Carlisle was a very spiritual person. If he thought he saw an angel, she was inclined to believe him. More than she would have believed almost anyone else, in fact. Still, an angel? She knew he felt her skepticism as well as her desire to believe him, and without letting go of her he walked them backwards to the couch. She acquiesced to his obvious need for quiet and simply held him. Within her mind she could feel his wonder, his own questions of belief, his faith, and she found herself wondering.

"What did he look like?"

"She," Carlisle corrected. Bella nodded her understanding.

"Okay, what did she look like?"

"Petite. Silvery hair. She was wearing jeans and a sweater, I think."

"Angels dress casually these days?" she teased gently, not wanting to push where it concerned something so obviously important to him. Carlisle snorted wryly.

"This one did." He paused, then grasped her upper arms and turned her to face him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, but I must apologize - we're going to cut your training this weekend a bit short, I'm afraid. Alice has probably already seen my decision and called the rest of them to come back. I'd expect them to show up any moment, in fact."

"So this is serious, then?"

"Serious enough. Thankfully we've got Caralla coming tomorrow. If anyone I know might be able to definitely identify a celestial being, it would be her." The mention of the ancient vampiress brought Bella's thoughts back to the reason for her visit.

"Do you think this...angel...could have anything to do with my dreams?" He met her eyes with his gleaming golden ones, his expression serious.

"I think there's a very good chance that such is the case."

"Me too," interjected another voice. Bella looked up as Alice, immaculate as always, walked into the living room and placed a dozen or so designer bags on the floor next to the couch. Bella raised an eyebrow as Alice dropped gracefully down beside her, leaning in to kiss first her then Carlisle deeply before speaking.

"This has changed a few things - we obviously didn't go to the concert because Carlisle called us all back. But we did have time to buy some baby stuff for Jess, as well as some new clothes for you." The human rolled her eyes at her friend's explanation and sighed.

"Good. I was wondering how I was supposed to gush over a concert I hadn't seen." Alice grinned at her.

"Oh, it would have been fine. He wasn't going to ask anyway. But now it's a non-issue. Carlisle, what can you tell me about this girl? I still have that fog in my mind whenever I try to look forward. It's stronger now. I can't see anything beyond our family, and not very far on that." Bella relaxed a bit and listened to the two of them talk. Casting her thoughts over the past few days, she found herself wondering if or when her training would continue, but immediately dismissed the question. There were far more important things to think about. She faded back to the present at the tail end of something Carlisle was saying.

"...I've never seen hair that color, that silvery-white. And her eyes...I'm not sure if they were blue or grey or purple - they seemed to change back and forth - but it was as though she could see clear into me. She knew what I was."

"Wait, you're saying she knows you're a vampire?" Bella couldn't keep the note of worry from her voice, a worry that grew when he nodded.

"She called me bloodsucker, almost vehemently, but then she seemed sorry for intruding when I told her this land belonged to our family." Something about hearing this person/thing/angel/whatsit described had been tickling Bella's mind, and it suddenly came to the fore.

"I bet she's Jake's mystery girl!"

"The dog has a girl?" Emmett's booming voice filled the room as the remaining family members strode into the house, Emmett and Esme about fifteen seconds before Edward, Jasper, and Rose. Bella leapt to her feet and charged at Edward, who lifted her into the air with a grin before returning her embrace.

"Miss me?" he murmured. She nodded and laid her head against him. "So, Alice and Carlisle couldn't keep you occupied?" She couldn't hide her blush but she was able to keep her voice steady, not letting any inkling of exactly how occupied she'd been come through.

"Yeah, but they're not you," she said, smiling up at him. They took their seats, and Carlisle waited until everyone was settled before explaining his experience. Bella noticed he skimmed over the reason Jake had appeared, stating only that the wolf had wanted to talk to Bella, and that while he'd left the two of them to chat he'd happened across the angel-creature in the forest. He related their brief conversation and her sudden disappearance, which cause no little amount of shocked murmuring amongst his audience.

"And then I came back here. Now Bella, what was that you were saying about Jake and a girl?"

"Yeah, didn't think the mutt had it in him to stop sniffing around you," Emmett joked. Bella threw a pillow at him - more for her enjoyment than anything - and sat up a bit straighter on Edward's lap.

"Jake said there's been a girl showing up out at the rez. She never sticks around long enough to talk to him, and he's been unable to track her. Billy's told him it's his responsibility to find out who she is and what she wants. They're not too happy with strangers on the land." Esme nodded and spoke, her soft voice thoughtful.

"Understandable. Did he say anything else about her?" Bella paused, unsure whether she would be violating a confidence, but she decided that they needed all the information they could get.

"He said...he believes she's a shifter, of sorts."

"Of sorts?" Jasper asked. "What does that mean?" Bella took a deep breath. ~I'm sorry, Jake,~ she thought.

"He says she can change into a white wolf. A white WINGED wolf." As she'd anticipated the room quickly filled with voices, but Bella's attention was fixed on Esme as the woman turned even whiter than she'd been before and darted out of the room. She returned a split second later clutching a book and flipping through its pages like a person possessed. After a moment she thrust the book at Bella.

"Did she look like this?" On the page was a photocopy of a woodcarving depicting a massive canine-like beast with wings decapitating a normal man with its teeth. Bella shrugged apologetically.

"I don't know - I wasn't the one to see her. Jake just mentioned it while we were talking this morning." Bella took a closer look at the print. The book was obviously old, which meant the carving had to be ancient. She began to skim over the text, but unfortunately it was written in a language she couldn't understand. The only thing she noticed was the single word beneath the picture, and she assumed it was the creature's name.

"So who's this Marchosias person?" she asked. Esme thought for a quick moment.

"If I'm remembering correctly, he's a demon lord of Hell. Responsible for commanding legions and one of the highest ranking lords under the God of Hell himself."

"So what might he have to do with this strange person?" The room was silent, Bella leaning back against Edward as they all mulled over the confusing lack of information.

"I don't know, but even not being able to see anything, I'd bet we'll have answers to at least one question tomorrow." Everyone turned to look at Alice, who shrugged. "Anyone want to lay odds that the new person tomorrow is our mystery girl?" Perhaps the least shocking thing of the morning was that no one wanted to take that bet.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: So here's chapter two. This note was supposed to be more entertaining, but I'm sitting in the middle of a rather noisy sports bar with a bunch of my hubby's friends, and the noise and the reek of beer is not conducive to mental stability in any form. So, thus ends this note.

Besides...y'all would rather read the story anyway.

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><p>By the time light had begun to fade from the sky, Jess and Luc had found themselves once more sitting on the swings in the playground. This time, though, there was no quiet, introspective musing, no shy glances back and forth.<p>

"So she's starting tomorrow? Does she have her schedule yet?" Jess asked. Head leaning back, eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of swaying back and forth with the occasional breezes, she missed the brief spasm of pain that crossed his features before he gathered himself and spoke.

"I believe she does have it, yes, though I haven't looked at it. We've been busy with...our own things lately. I'm afraid I haven't paid much attention to things, not as much as I should have, but I'm...close to completing a major portion of my research, and I've been working on that a bit. To the exclusion of almost everything else, really." He was leaning back against the chain of his swing and gazing at her, the way her hair trailed down along her back, fluttering as she moved. He had just enough time to snap himself out of his perusal as she sat up and looked over at him.

"Yeah, you'd mentioned that. And you're here to study the Quileute now?" He nodded, momentarily speechless at the direct way her eyes locked on his. "You know, I should introduce you to Bella."

"Bella?" he asked, forcing his mind to focus.

"Chief Swan's daughter, one of my close friends. She's really good friends with the Quileute tribe - she's an old childhood friend of the one guy, Jake. I know they're a fairly close-knit tribe, but she might be able to see if any of them would be interested in talking to you." Luc schooled himself to show only curiosity, locking the combination excitement and despair deep within his heart.

"That would be wonderful," he said.

"Well, since your sister - Lili? - since Lili will be at school tomorrow, I'll make sure to introduce myself, and she can hang out with us. I'm sure Bella and the Cullens will be there too, and she can have a chance to maybe explain a bit of what you're looking for to Bella, see if she thinks Jake would be willing to sit down and chat." His mind still racing, Luc just nodded his approval. At that point, Jess stood.

"Well, I should probably be heading home. I haven't even had a chance yet to get my stuff together for school or do my chores today.

"Oh, I apologize for commandeering so much of your time-" he began, but she cut him off with a wave and a brush of her hand against his arm.

"Nonsense. I've had a wonderful day. One of the best I've had in a while, to be honest." She looked at him shyly, and he found himself smiling at her.

"Indeed. I can't recall the last time I spent such entertaining time with such lovely company." He decided then and there that he loved watching her blush, especially when she smiled as well. Standing smoothly, he offered his arm. "Would m'lady deign to permit me to accompany her on her return to her abode?" Her laughter chased away the dark in his soul, and he smiled easily.

"But of course, m'lord." With a delighted grin and a trace of pink left on her cheeks, she threaded her arm through his and they began the walk back to her house. The silence was completely comfortable, a blanket of quiet wrapping them both safely together, and it stayed unbroken until they arrived at her front door. Giving in to impulse, he took her hand and bowed over it, bestowing a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

"Thank you, Jess, for a most enjoyable day. I trust we shall see one another again?" There was that blush again, but she managed to reply without stammering.

"Absolutely. I mean, that would be great." With a final squeeze of her fingers, he turned and walked down the steps and back out onto the sidewalk, taking a moment to wave at her where she stood and stared at him. He could feel her eyes on him until he passed out of her sight - he knew he'd feel her warmth in his heart far longer than that.

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><p>"Do you think he'd be amenable to speaking with us?" Carlisle's voice was earnest, and Bella shrugged.<p>

"I'm not sure. I mean, I know how Jake and the pack feel about you guys, but I think after our chat this morning he might be okay. Maybe not with you, Edward," she chuckled, leaning back further into her mate's embrace and rubbing his arm gently. "-but perhaps Carlisle, or Esme. Maybe even Alice."

"What about Caralla? She'll be in town this week. Do you think he'd be okay with her?" Esme said quietly, her voice thoughtful. Bella considered it, turning the idea over in her head a couple of times. Finally, she just sighed.

"I don't know. I'll ask him if he's okay with meeting me and - Esme, since you seem to know more about the history and theory around all this, would you mind talking with him? If he's cool, that is. I don't know how much more information he could give us, but I think he'd do better if it was just a one-on-one with me there." The other woman nodded, her golden eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Absolutely. Tell him whenever and wherever he would be most comfortable is fine with me." Edward and Rosalie both seemed to tense up at that, but Esme just rolled her eyes at them. "Honestly, if he agrees to talk, knowing Bella will be there too, do you really think he'd attempt any sort of ambush or maliciousness? It will be fine."

"I don't know - I doubt he'd do anything that might hurt Bella," murmured Edward. "But I hesitate to give the wolves that much power over any one of us." Bella turned to her boyfriend with a huff.

"Edward Cullen, stop it. Just stop it. Jake would never ever do anything to hurt me - or anyone I care about - and I can't think of a single reason he'd have to be vicious to Esme. IF he agrees to meet with us, it won't be in anger. He's too confused right now." She hadn't meant to say the last bit, but it slipped out before her mind could reign it in. Luckily, aside from some pensive looks on her family's faces, no one mentioned it.

"It's settled, then. Bella will ask Jacob to meet with her and Esme. The rest of us will do what we can to fill Caralla in on what we know so far. Do you think he'd be okay with speaking with you tomorrow after classes?" Carlisle's voice was both firm and questioning.

"You know what, why don't I call him now?" Bella said, climbing off of Edward's lap and pulling her phone from her back pocket. Though she knew it wouldn't do any good - they'd be able to hear her anyway, damn vampire hearing - she wandered into the kitchen as she dialed the familiar number. Two rings sounded in her ear before Jake's voice came through.

"Bells. What's up?"

"Hi, Jake. Um, yeah...I...well, I hope you're not mad at me, but Carlisle said he saw a strange girl on the property -" ~Yeah, leave out the bit that she might be an angel for now,~ "- and I mentioned the girl you'd seen. His description matched what you'd told me, anyway."

"Did he talk to her? What's her name? Where's she from?" The frantic note sounded almost like whimpering, and Bella fought a smile as she tried to speak naturally.

"He said she talked a bit, and apologized for trespassing, but then she took off, and he didn't follow. Um, anyway, I was wondering - would you mind meeting me and Esme? There's...well, something's strange...I don't know -"

"There's a storm coming," he cut in, and she knew instinctively that he wasn't referring to meteorological occurrences. She sighed in relief.

"Yeah. That's what we're thinking. I've had some dreams, and the - well, anyway, we think it might all involve the pack as well as the Cullens, possibly more than that even. And since you're the only one who trusts me enough to trust the Cullens as well, however sparingly...well, Esme said that if you'd be willing to talk with her, you could name the time and place. And I'd be there too, so it's not like there's be anything bad planned. Not that there ever would be -" She knew she was babbling, but she was interrupted by, shockingly enough, his chuckle.

"Sure."

"It could be when - wait, what?"

"I said sure. I'm assuming she wants to talk as soon as possible. How's tomorrow after school sound, by the sunning rock at the river?"

"I - um - sure. That's, that's great. I wasn't expecting you to, you know, agree so easily. So, um, I guess...we'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yep. Later Bells. Gotta run - my turn on patrol tonight."

"Later, Jake." She turned and walked back in, a bemused look on her face. Esme arched an eyebrow at her in question as she sat back down with Edward again.

"He's agreed. Tomorrow after school, by that big flat rock beside the river."

"Well, that's one thing taken care of then." Carlisle smiled. "I guess he wasn't as difficult to convince as you anticipated?"

"No, he wasn't. It was weird, actually. But I'm just happy it wasn't a battle." She settled down again, curled against Edward, and was just about to lean her head on his shoulder when her stomach growled. Loudly. Emmett burst out laughing.

"Sounds like someone needs fuel," he chuckled. Blushing, she sat up.

"Well, I haven't eaten since breakfast and it's - what, early evening? I'd better be going, though. I promised Charlie I'd make dinner and hang out with him a bit tonight, since I haven't really been home much." Sheepishly she smiled as they all stood when she did, everyone wanting to give her a hug and kiss before he headed out - or in Emmett's case, a grope and a kiss. Laughing, she allowed Edward to take her hand and lead her out to the car to head to Charlie's house. She wondered briefly how conversation would go after she left as she slid into the passenger seat.

The start of the drive was quiet, both of them wrapped in their own thoughts. As Bella idly watched the scenery pass by, not paying attention to anything but her own whirling mind, she was startled by a flash of white in the trees. Sitting up straighter she attempted to look out the window but as fast as Edward drove, there was no chance. She settled back down and glanced at him, answering his unspoken question.

"Thought I saw something, but I guess not." Unsure why she was hesitant to mention the quick glimpse of whatever it was, she was relieved when he simply nodded and turned back to face the road. A few moments later he spoke.

"Bella, I know how much it bothers you to have Jacob and I at odds, and I know he would never intentionally hurt you, but..." He paused and looked at her, his butterscotch eyes filled with emotion. "If anything were to ever happen to you, even accidentally...Bella, I don't know what I'd do." He closed his eyes briefly, and then to Bella's confusion he pulled the car over to the shoulder. Turning to her, he took her hand in his, and she was puzzled by the intensity of his gaze.

"Edward, what is it? What's wrong?" He simply stared at her for a long while, and she felt herself get more nervous as the silence spun like taffy. Finally, when she was sure she was going to snap from the tension, his whisper reached her ears.

"I hadn't wanted to do this here, not now, but..." At that point, he seemed to come to a decision and he met her eyes squarely.

"Bella, I love you. More than life, more than my own existence."

"I love you too, Edward," she murmured, wondering what had him so wound up. He switched to clasping her hand with one of his own and reaching into his pocket with the other. No matter what she might have expected, the little box he held was not it. Her eyes darted back and forth from the closed box to his gleaming eyes. He smiled as he understood the sudden panic on her features.

"Relax, Bella. I have far better ideas for when I propose to you." Her eyes widened even further at the announcement, so casual, so nonchalant, and she knew she was gaping at him like a landed fish. She could see the corner of his mouth tilt up in a smile he tried to hide.

"Rest assured, this is not an engagement ring. You can stop hyperventilating now." His tone was fondly amused, and she tried to regulate her breathing. "However, it's no less serious." He opened the box one-handed, and she tore her eyes from his face long enough to look down. The cabochon-cut ring gleamed, seeming to almost absorb and reflect every glimmer of light from around it. And set into the face of the stone itself, etched and inlaid with a master's skill, was the Cullen crest, the shimmery silvery metal gleaming against the dark red stone it was set into. It was absolutely breathtaking, and Bella reached out one finger to trace the surface, finding to her shock that it was as smooth as silk with no discernible difference between the stone and the design. It was truly a flawless piece, and she was awestruck.

"I know in Greece Carlisle gave you the pendant, but as we all agreed it was a bit lavish for everyday wear, we thought - I thought - that you should have something you could keep with you at all times." He paused, taking a deep breath he obviously didn't need, but the action served to pull her attention back to him as he lifted the ring from the box.

"You have managed to bring us all together, Bella. Somehow, someway, you were the glue we didn't know we needed. It's been so amazing, feeling our family grow stronger in each other and in ourselves. I hoped you'd be happy with this ring and wear it always. It's just a small way of showing you how much you mean to me, to all of us. I wasn't half the person before as I've become since meeting you, and I know the rest of the family feels the same." With tears in her eyes she regarded her man, her beloved, and nodded, shakily extending her left hand. He smiled and reached for her right one.

"I wasn't kidding about the future proposal, and I'd like there to be no conflict about which ring you'd rather wear there." With that he slid the exquisite ring onto her right ring finger and she was stunned by how natural it felt, how well it hugged her finger, as though she'd been wearing it for years. She smiled through the dampness in her eyes and he pulled her into a tight hug, nestling her head underneath his chin.

"You've made us all so very happy, Bella. You're incredible. Thank you." When she finally sat back up and he put the car back in drive, pulling back out on the road, she saw a smirk cross his face. Sniffing, pulling herself back together, she turned to him.

"What's so funny?" she asked. He just looked at her and grinned.

"Now everyone will know that you're one of us in every way that matters. Your classmates might have a few...questions." Bella laughed.

"Not every way...but I'm patient. And I think I can handle the questions. I'll just tell them I'm lucky to have a group of incredibly wonderful vampire sex toys." He chuckled along with her, reaching out to clasp her hand as they turned into Charlie's driveway.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Thank you all for your patience and your kindness. It's taken me a while to feel something other than numb, but knowing my baby kitty is in a better place, a place where age and illness have no claws to scratch him with, is a comfort. I'm still not completely back to normal, but I am back enough to write some more, so here you go! I also have to apologize for the spelling errors in my last chapter (that have since been corrected). As anyone who knows me knows, I am a stickler for spelling, so it's a measure of my mental distress that I not only made them to begin with, but that I didn't notice them when I posted. At any rate, on with the show!

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><p>She'd come back late, her carriage defeated and her voice silent. Luc walked towards her as she stepped into the house, but her ice cold stare stopped him in his tracks. Without uttering a single word her glare told him all she wasn't saying, and she turned and ascended to her room - he'd begun to think of it as her room, even going so far as to stake his own claim, small though it was, on the master bedroom. All the warmth and joy he'd felt since he left Jessica's presence those few hours earlier slipped from him in the wake of her frigid silence. It was with sadness that he removed himself, going outside to the back steps and sitting there. He'd promised himself that he would give her whatever time she needed and accept whatever she was willing to grant him in return, if anything, but he hadn't counted on how utterly devestated he would feel watching his mate of hundreds upon hundreds of years turn from him in such a manner. And he didn't blame her in the least for her behavior.<p>

The darkness of night offered no solace to him, nor did the gradually brightening dawn. Sometime later, after he'd watched the day slowly wake, he heard her soft movements behind him. Knowing she meant him to hear, he turned slowly, making absolutely no attempt to approach her. She had done a very good job of banishing the pain and anger from her features, though the depths of her eyes still glittered fiercely.

"I'm going to school now." There was nothing for him to say, so he simply nodded and followed her with his gaze as she spun away from him and, looking every inch the teenager she was going to pretend to be, strode confidently away from him. The sound of the front door was jarring in its solid finality, and Luc sighed mournfully.

~Oh, Lili...~

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><p>Angela got to school early and pulled into her parking space, unsure why she felt so...odd. Like something big was building. It was a similar sensation to what she'd been feeling the day before, but intensified somehow. More severe, more threatening. With an internal shrug she hefted her backpack onto her shoulder and headed across the perpetually damp parking lot and into the school. She had decided to try and get some quiet time in the library before classes started, see if she could work out what was bothering her. She walked through the quiet hallways, enjoying the low murmur of distant conversations far more than she ever liked the cacophony of sound that would begin as soon as more students began to show up. The librarian nodded to her with a smile when she entered, and Angela murmured a greeting before making her way to the back table. She loved this seat. It was right next to the reference section, which assured that no one would come sit near her idly - most of her classmates avoided research unless necessary. It was also the only table not within view of a window. For some reason today she didn't feel like looking outside. She pulled out her notebook and flipped it open, idly tapping the tips of her fingers against the words she'd written.<p>

"Call Eric" had a check mark beside it. She had already spoken with her boyfriend about who he intended to put on the Cullen party guest list. After a few hours the previous night, they'd agreed on a simple group of about seventeen including themselves. Eric had been planning to invite the whole twenty, or as many as he could get away with, but she pointed out to him how rude that would be.

"After all," she'd said, "this is the first time they've invited anyone over at all. And they're entrusting you to choose. Wouldn't it be better to err on the conservative side, rather than go overboard and possibly make them uncomfortable? They're not usually a very social family from what we know." He'd reluctantly conceded her point, and they'd finished revising the list just before bedtime, with Eric both excited and nervous about handing it over to the people who still intimidated him a bit.

The next item on her list, "Talk to Jess," was made infinitely easier as the girl in question had just walked over to the table and plunked herself down across from Angela.

"I knew you'd be here, Ang," the blonde said, and looking up Angela was shocked to see her friend's eyes sparkling, a smile on her face that hadn't put in an appearance in months. The quiet brunette blinked in shock, unable to keep herself from grinning at the apparent good mood her lately-morose friend was in.

"You look like you won the lottery. What gives?" Jess sighed, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. She stayed silent for a moment before dissolving into a giggle that shocked Angela to the core.

"I had a wonderful evening, Angie. It was incredible." She sat up and sighed, speaking in a voice Angela knew she wasn't meant to hear. "HE was incredible."

"He who?" Angela was curious now. "Not Mike?"

"Oh god no! NEVER Mike! No...Luc. His name is Luc."

"Who? What? Girl, you've got ten seconds to spill, 'cause you're freaking me out." Jess just laughed before leaning forward on the table.

"You heard about the new people in town?" At Angela's nod her friend continued. "Well, yesterday, I - well, I'd better go back a bit. A few days ago...rather, a few nights ago, I couldn't sleep so I headed out to the playground."

"Are you crazy? You know Mike's just waiting to get you alone again!" Angela was shocked and worried, but Jess just waved it off.

"Let me finish. I went and sat on one of the swings, and was thinking and talking out loud to myself, and a voice answered me. Shocked the shit out of me, honestly." She shook her head at herself and continued. "Anyway, he was very polite, and gorgeous, but I couldn't see him very well in the shadows - you know how dim those lights are out there. He was out there the next night, too, and we talked a bit more, but nothing much. Then yesterday I was heading out to the diner to get some lunch and he was walking right down my sidewalk, looking like a...like a lost soul, really. And before I could stop myself I invited him to lunch."

"So, you've talked to the guy twice, in a deserted playground in the middle of the night, and then you take him to lunch?" Jess nodded.

"I know, right? But he's so amazingly hot, and I just...the words came out before I planned to say anything. Anyway, his name's Luc-" Angela noticed the pronunciation, almost French in tone, and filed it away for later as her friend kept talking. "-and he's here because he's a scholar of religious beliefs and is hoping to learn some about the Quileute, and his sister's going to be starting here today, and he's got the most amazing voice, and these mahogany eyes I could just fall into, and I feel so SAFE with him, and we nearly kissed but didn't, and I took him around town, and Marlie tried to hit on him but he was horrified at the thought..."

"Back it up. You almost WHAT?" Angela was gobsmacked. "You've been depressed and moping for weeks, but one day with some guy you don't even know and you're Miss-Dancing-On-Clouds? Are you sure you're not on something?" Jessica at least had the good grace, Angela thought, to look slightly sheepish, but she noticed her friend didn't lose the sparkle that lit up her face.

"I swear, I almost kissed him. Or he almost kissed me. It doesn't matter, really. He's so hot. Seriously, Ang, you'd drool." The brunette shook her head.

"Hot or not, you don't know this guy. What if he's some kind of predator? How do you even know he's telling you the truth?"

"I just know. He's an honest kind of guy. And I can't wait to meet his sister. Her name's Lili. I hope I have some classes with her." Angela just sighed and sat back as her friend continued to babble, but all the reassurances in the world couldn't dispel the uneasy feeling she had as she listened to the other girl extol the praises of her handsome stranger. She sighed inwardly.

~I hope everything works out okay...~

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><p>Alice was all but bouncing with excitement when Edward and Bella pulled into the parking lot.<p>

"Jeez, Alice, are you on something?" Bella said loud enough for the few kids nearby to hear. "You're so..."

"Annoying?" said Edward, shutting the door and grinning. Bella laughed as Alice whopped him on the shoulder.

"C'mon guys, there's a new kid in school today! You can't tell me that's not at least a little exciting. I mean, Bella, you were the last one, and you're awesome!" Jasper snickered from the other side of the car, coming around to give Bella a quick hug before looping his arm around his exuberant girlfriend. The quartet made their way up the steps accompanied by Alice's ever present chatter. As the guys split off and headed to their classes, Alice grabbed Bella's arm.

"I can't see anything," she whispered. "At all. So she must be really close." They made their way in and took their seats just as Jess saw them. She slid into the chair in front of Bella as the first bell began to ring.

"So, I'm sure you've heard there's a new girl in school," the blonde said, looking more cheerful than Bella had seen her in a while. Before she had a chance to comment on that, though, Alice spoke up.

"We heard there was someone new, but we haven't head anything else." Bella almost looked at her friend in shock before she realized that Alice was trying to glean what the other girl knew without giving away anything. It was no surprise when Jess started chattering.

"Her name's Lili - you know, I don't think I heard her last name - and she and her brother are here in town for his research. Bella, you have to meet Luc - he's wonderful and he wants to know about Quileute legends, so since you're on good terms with Jacob I thought you might know some things." Bella's blood ran cold at that and she sneaked Alice a concerned look, getting a quick reassuring smile in return as the vampire pumped Jess for more info on the new girl. Bella tried to keep track of what they were saying but it was difficult to think past the worry that was taking root in her mind. Giving up, she pulled out her notebook and homework assignment before the final bell rang. As the teacher stepped up to call the class to attention, the door opened and all conversation stopped.

~Jake was right, she is beautiful!~ she thought, taking in the image of the platinum-haired nymph that was currently handing her schedule to the teacher. With a nod, the girl was pointed to the seat next to Alice and if Bella hadn't been watching closely she would have missed the lightning-quick expression of shock that flitted across the newcomer's features, as well as the almost imperceptible widening of Alice's butterscotch eyes.

~Carlisle? Is this her?~ she thought quickly, making sure she was looking at the girl to send as clear a picture as possible from her thoughts to his. She didn't need to feel his surprised assent to know her hunch was correct. Carlisle's angel and Jake's obsession were one and the same, and it didn't take a genius to know that this girl was at least a huge part of the reason Alice's visions were dark recently.

"You're Lili?" she heard the blonde ask.

"Yes. Lili Noelani," the girl said with a smile. "And you are?"

"Jessica - just call me Jess. I told your brother I'd keep an eye out for you today! Welcome to Forks! How are you liking it here so far?"

Bella took advantage of the distraction to shoot Alice a glance. The pixie just nodded and began scribbling something on a paper. A brief second later and a note seemed to appear on top of Bella's homework.

**She's not human, and she knows I'm not either. **Bella wrote back, waiting until the teacher was turned before handing the folded note over.

_Carlisle says she's the one he talked to. _Alice nodded as though confirming her own thoughts, and the next thing Bella knew she was looking down at the paper once more.

**Did you see how she tenses every time Jess mentions her brother? Watch carefully. Something's going on there.** A slight nod to Alice and Bella was settling in to observe the newcomer as discreetly as possible. She noticed that Alice had been dead-on...every time Jess mentioned something about her brother, Lili would flinch a little before seeming to force herself to relax. It was quick, but Bella had spent too much time with vampires to not catch quick movements.

"Miss Cullen, would you care to volunteer the answer?" Bella snapped her eyes forward in an attempt to look as though she'd been paying attention as her best friend rattled off what was undoubtedly a perfect answer to whatever question had been asked. Resolving to not get herself in trouble, she determined that she should spend the rest of the class listening as much as possible and work on figuring out the puzzle that was Lili Noelani sometime when she was less likely to be put on the spot.


	4. Chapter 4

Lunch rolled around and Bella came to the conclusion that it was a very good thing her family knew all of the things the classes were supposed to teach them, because in spite of her best efforts her mind could not seem to stay on her school subjects. It was with a distracted air that she sat down, munching idly on a carrot stick. They'd gotten to the cafeteria before any of the other friends, and even though Angela and Eric walked in the doors next, it was Jess and Lili that made it to the table first. Alice, perky as ever, greeted them both warmly.

"Hey again," she said, the grin on her face both genuine and contagious. "We're so glad you came to sit with us! Lili, this is Jasper, and this is Edward." Both vampires nodded cordially and Lili murmured a shy 'hello' but Bella noticed the newcomer's quickly fleeting expression of confusion as she realized that more than half of the people at the table weren't human.

~This could get really weird,~ she thought to herself.

"So, Lili," Edward's smooth voice slid into the silence before it had a chance to become awkward. "Whereabouts are you from, originally?" A simple and ordinary question, and though the girl's responses were quick Bella got the sense of a rehearsed speech rather than anything even remotely resembling truth.

"Well, my-" Small, almost unnoticeable pause before her statement continued, "-brother and I travel a lot. Our parents died when I was young, and so it's been just me and him for almost as long as I can remember. We were originally in a small foster home, but…we left. It's been just us ever since, going wherever we can."

~That wasn't even close to an answer,~ Bella mused, ~Yet it was enough to derail a conversation. Well done.~

"Oh, how horrible," Jess said. "I'm sorry to hear about your folks. But, he's not that much older than you, right? I mean, he said he was taking college courses…"

"No, really, there's only about six years between us."

"Show did you travel, being so young and without parents?" Jasper's murmur was curious, yet challenging, and a brief expression of…something…flitted through Lili's crystal eyes before she responded.

"People…well, they don't often notice children if they're not causing trouble. We stayed in abandoned buildings, rarely more than a couple of days in the same area. It got easier once we got a bit older. He was able to get small odd jobs – newspapers, garbage collecting, things like that – and once I turned twelve he picked up a real job and we got a small flat. He insisted I go back to school, and I love to learn things, so even though we've moved a lot I've tried to keep up with my education. The last school I went to was in Italy, right before we came here."

"Italy!" breathed Jess enviously. "Why on earth would you come to Forks after ITALY?" Bella noticed the quick glance shot from Edward to Alice, but kept her attention visibly on the new girl. Right about then, Angela and Eric walked up.

"Hi! I'm Angela, and this is Eric," the dark-haired girl said as the two of them slid into their seats. "You're Lili, right? Jess was mentioning you in third hour." For a moment the new girl looked a bit overwhelmed, and Bella almost felt a bit of pity for her, but she was too concerned with wondering what truly brought her here.

~Carlisle?~

~Yes, love?~

~I've got a really weird feeling that you might be right. She's obviously not human. But then, I don't know as much about the, um…non-human races as you do. She just doesn't seem to be anything like anything I've ever known.~

~Well, learn what you can. And then make sure you find out anything Jacob might know as well.~

~I will. He seems really anxious when it comes to her.~ Bella let her thought-conversation trail off as she returned her full attention to the table.

"…and so I told him I'd keep an eye out for her and, well, here she is!" Jess finished with a flourish of her hands.

"You spoke to Luc?" Lili asked quietly, and Jess nodded, completely unaware of the sudden appraisal hiding behind their new friend's gaze.

"Yeah, I've talked to him a couple of times. Oh, and we had lunch yesterday and I showed him around town. Hey, I know – after school why don't we all give Lili the grand tour?" Jess looked around at everyone excitedly before returning her eyes to the other girl. At the look on Lili's face, however, Jess stammered a bit. "I…I mean, unless…well, unless you've already, you know, looked around and whatever." Lili seemed to realize she was behaving a bit oddly, because she sat up straighter and flashed a stunning smile.

"No, that's fine Jess. I just…I think I'll have to ask for a raincheck on that. I really do need to head home after school…"

AAAAAOOOOOOO! AAAAAAOOOOO!

Her explanation, whatever it might have been, was cut off suddenly as the fire alarm began to blare loudly, startling everyone in the school.

"What the hell?" Bella exclaimed rhetorically, grabbing her stuff as they all began heading out of the cafeteria and down the hallway.

"No idea," Alice answered, to Bella's surprise. The group joined the throng of students that were – miraculously, she thought, remembering previous drills at other schools – moving quickly and efficiently towards the front doors of the school, teachers directing the flow here and there and ushering the students on with expressions just as confused as those of their charges. As they headed outside and into the parking lot, Bella thought she heard Angela muttering something under her breath. Stepping a bit closer as unobtrusively as she could, she was able to make out a few words despite the conversations around her.

"…something just feels WRONG, something is not right…" Just then Angela seemed to realize she was speaking out loud and blinked a bit, snapping out of herself and looking at Bella, seeming almost sheepish.

"Sorry. I tend to talk to myself when I'm worried." Bella said nothing, simply nodding, but she knew there was something more than that going on with her friend and she intended to find out. As she turned more fully towards the other girl, planning to ask her what she'd been saying, a loud rumble caught her attention and she looked back towards the school only stare in shock as the science wing, in a bizarre replication of sci-fi special effects, seemed to bulge outward slightly before exploding with a force that shook the hillside and knocked almost everyone off of their feet. Wood and glass and metal flew through the air like projectiles shot from a high-powered weapon, some landing close enough to smash through windshields and skitter across the wet pavement of the lot. Scrambling upwards, Bella had the thought that maybe they should get further away from the building, but was distracted by the confusion around her.

"My god…" a voice Bella dimly recognized as belonging to one of the teachers gasped nearby, barely audible over the screams of frightened students. To her right, though, it was the whisper of the new girl that caught her attention.

"This had nothing to do with God." As Bella turned towards Lili, shocked and confused, a second explosion sounded. She didn't even have a chance to ask what the other girl had meant before a flying piece of wood hurtled through the air and connected with her head. And everything went dark.

* * *

><p>On the other side of the burning building, crouched in the underbrush, he surveyed the panic, the disaster, with a grin on his face. Everything that had made him recognizable to his friends, to his family, stripped itself away in that brief moment of complete, giggling insanity.<p>

~NOW they're scared,~ he thought with satisfaction. ~They should be.~ And he turned and darted into the forest, thinking happily of the decoy he'd planted before the explosion.

~When they sift the wreckage, they'll see. And they'll be sorry. And then I'll be free to do what I have to.~ His laughter was inaudible over the sounds of chaos he left behind.

* * *

><p>Author's note: Okay. What. The. Fuck? This was not in the plans. *Glares down at the pile of Evil Plot Bunnies, demanding an explanation. EPBs look up innocently* Oh, come on, guys. You expect me to believe that you didn't plan this either? *sigh* Well. Um...I guess...kaboom?<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

"You know, this is not how I pictured our next reunion, Little One."

The familiar scents and sounds of the sterile hospital room clashed vividly in her mind with the warm, liquid amusement in that honeyed tone. With effort she managed to open her eyes, knowing she was safe and sound regardless of the ten-piece percussion ensemble that was currently practicing in her brain.

"Caralla," she whispered, voice scratchy from sleep. She felt the cool touch of skin on skin as the Ancient One caressed her hand with smooth fingertips.

"You really are accident-prone," the woman chuckled. "This time it wasn't very bad, however – at least, compared to some of the stories I've heard from your family. Only a concussion and some bruising from where you hit the pavement."

"What...what happened?" Bella blinked repeatedly, feeling her world start swimming into place as the beautiful blur before her slowly transformed into a beautiful vampire. Caralla, seeing that Bella was not only fully awake but marginally aware, gracefully dropped into the chair beside the bed and stretched her long legs out before her, crossing them at the ankles. Disjointedly Bella saw the gleam of light play against a delicate ankle bracelet adorning one sandal-shod foot and the sparkles made her smile absently.

"Do you remember the...accident...at the school?"

"I remember the fire alarm...and we all went outside. Angela was muttering something. And there was...an explosion?" She looked at Caralla, who nodded in confirmation. "After that, nothing until I heard your voice just now. How long have I been out?"

"Only about 10 hours. The explosions shot debris in every direction. And you, Little One, of course you were standing directly in the path of a swiftly-flying chunk of wood. It grazed you hard, but he believes it was the tumble to the pavement and your head hitting the curb that caused the concussion."

"He? Carlisle?"

"Who else do you think he'd trust to work on his beloved _sanguinem coeunt_?" she said with a devilish smirk.

"His what?"

"It's Latin. It means 'blood mate.'"

"I'm confused. I thought you'd said Edward was my soul mate?"

"He is. A blood mate is different. And we'll get in to all that later. The important thing is to let everyone know you're awake. But I wanted a few moments alone with you first."

"Is it about my dreams?"

"Yes and no." The vampiress shifted her chair closer to the bed and pitched her voice low enough to stay within the four walls of the room. "I understand you met the Celestial, before your school blew up?"

"The what?"

"I'm sorry," Caralla said with a gentle smile. "It's what my era called heavenly beings. Angels, if you prefer Carlisle's term."

"You mean Lili?"

"Ah, is that the name she uses? I have yet to be introduced. I've seen her only at a slight distance."

"Yes, we met, but I didn't talk to her much. So she really is an angel?"

"Of sorts, yes. I'll explain more this evening when we're all together. I dislike having to repeat myself," she added with a wink. "At any rate, I just wanted to find out if you felt anything...odd...around her."

"Odd? Not really. I mean, there was a moment of shock, but I think that's because she is just...beautiful," Bella finished, feeling a bit lame. Caralla stroked her hand gently.

"She is. More so than most of her kind because, well...she's really the only one of her kind, to tell the truth. But like I said, I'll explain what I know when we're all together. In the meantime, your father would like to come in, though he's currently being distracted by Alice and a hot cup of coffee in the cafeteria. And then Carlisle is going to want to check up on you before you doze off again." With a smooth movement the raven-haired beauty stood and leaned over the bed to plant a quick kiss on Bella's forehead. "So I believe I shall go fetch Charlie. I've been a bit mean, I suppose, sending him off like that. But he'll never know it wasn't his idea, and I had to be here when you first woke. So get some more rest, and I'll see you this evening." With that Caralla left the room, and Bella leaned into her pillows and closed her eyes. She was slightly confused by some of the things the elder had said, but she had faith that the woman would clear up her statements later, so she resolved to not think about it. At about that time the door to her room opened again and her father strode in, a half-smile on his face as he made his way to her bedside.

"Well well, Bella, at least this time you're not here because you're clumsy," he said with a laugh. She grinned and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Thanks, Dad," she muttered loud enough for him to hear. He chuckled quietly, but then his visage turned serious, mirth fading away behind what Bella recognized as his 'cop face.' This was not going to be good news, not if he was looking like that.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He seemed to debate for a moment on saying anything, but in the end he answered.

"The explosion at the school. It was deliberate."

"What? Who would do that?" Bella gasped. He stepped away from the bed and gazed out the window, and she could see his reflection in the glass, all worry and anger and confusion, and she knew there was more. "What else? There's something else, isn't there?" A heartbeat, an hour later, he turned back to face her.

"Nineteen people were injured, students and teachers alike, and...one fatality."

"Someone was killed?" She sat upright, ignoring how the swift movement made her eyeballs pound. "Who?" Silence met her question, so she tried again. "Who, Dad?" He took a deep breath and slumped down in the chair Caralla had so recently vacated.

"It appears that the explosion was set by a fellow student of yours. He...likely misjudged. He didn't make it out on time." With icy-cold certainty Bella knew what was coming next.

"Mike Newton's funeral will be held next Saturday."

* * *

><p>The entire high school was in chaos. Lili had made her way stealthily past the milling crowds at the school, carefully creeping around the screaming teens and frazzled adults, until she was able to circle around the building to the back. Making sure no one was watching, she closed her eyes and willed herself into vapor. As happened the last time, it was difficult, an almost painful transition, but she spared no thought for why that might have been. She was too focused on her goal – the burning wreckage of the back end of the building. Floating quickly, knowing she couldn't hold this form for long, she breezed through the flames and the debris. There was nothing, no sign of anyone living, but she knew she wasn't mistaken about the dark feeling that was pulsing through her. She saw a pair of shoes, feet, legs, buried beneath the remnants of what might have been a table or a bench of some kind, but spared it no thought. That person just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, though something about it felt...not right. Still, the poor dead mortal wasn't what was bothering her. She could sense something dark, something that oozed through her core like putrid slime, something...evil. That was it – what she was feeling was evil. Not the darkness that mortals knew as such, but the pure state of immortal maliciousness, viciousness for its own sake. And though she knew it was gone, the faint traces of it crashing against her the only proof that such a force had existed in this place at this time, she got the feeling it was far from finished with whatever it came to do. The strain becoming too much for her, she hurried away from the wreckage, letting the blowing breeze help her to the treeline. With a final effort she managed to flatten her mist form out close to the ground just as she lost the energy to hold it, her body coalescing and dropping the last few inches to the sodden grass. With a bit of effort, still feeling drained, she picked herself up and began walking unsteadily back to the group of milling mortals, slowly weaving her way back to the group that had befriended her earlier.<p>

"Lili! Oh my god, where have you been? You just disappeared!" Jess' voice was shrill but honestly worried, and Lili felt the warmth of her kindness like a ray of sunshine through the clouds. She let her expression show nothing but shock and fear, mirroring those around her, and gave a weak chuckle.

"I'm sorry, I just...it was too much and I...well, I didn't want to throw up in front of everyone..." she trailed off, sounding both sheepish and frightened. The blonde girl lunged forward and captured her in a fierce hug.

"It's okay – well, I mean, things aren't okay, but – oh my god, this is such a mess! And it's your first day here! What a horrid day this has to be for you!" Lili gently pulled free and forced a smile.

"It wasn't all bad. I made some new friends..." she said quietly, a bit of a question in her voice. Deep down she felt a bit bad for playing up the 'helpless mortal girl' image, but right now, it was what the situation called for. And sure enough, Jess smiled and nodded.

"You sure did. In fact, Angie and I are heading to the hospital now – do you want to come with?"

"Hospital?" Lili gasped, her gaze flickering down to Jess' abdomen and back up again so quickly the other girl didn't notice.

"Yeah. There were a bunch of people hurt. Bella has a concussion, so they're taking her in for some tests and holding her there until she regains consciousness. Angie and I are going to go wait there and make sure she's okay. She's...kind of accident prone, actually, but this time it wasn't her fault, she just got hit by a flying board and knocked out." Lili couldn't help a sigh of relief for the bubbly blonde, that nothing had happened to her or the life within her. Smiling meekly, she tucked her silvery hair behind one ear and wiped a few raindrops off of her face.

"I should actually head back to the house – I'm sure by now my...brother has heard the sirens and is wondering what is going on. I need to let him know I'm okay and what happened." She made herself sound apologetic, but she really needn't have worried, because as soon as she mentioned Luc the mortal girl's eyes lit up.

"Oh my god, yes, make sure he knows everything's fine and...tell him..." Lili watched as her friend turned six shades of red and cleared her throat nervously. "You know what? Never mind. You should just get going, get some rest. I heard a rumor that school would be cancelled for the rest of the week – maybe we can get together sometime and get to know each other more?" Lili nodded.

"I'd like that." With a final hug and a chirpy "See you later, then!", Jess disappeared back into the throng of people and Lili turned, heading back into the woods. Once there, she shed all pretense of humanity and bolted, running as fast as she could go towards the house. As angry as she was at Luc, and as badly hurt as she was by his admissions and omissions, she still had to tell him what happened, what she found out. And she especially had to tell him about her feelings that there was another Hellbound in Forks.

* * *

><p>Author's note: I'm ba-ack! Hopefully for a reliable amount of time, this time around. :)<p>

Also, I forgot to add section breaks and such when I posted this the first time, so I've adjusted and reposted. Sorry for the confusion. I've gotta get back in the swing of things here.


	6. Chapter 6

"C'mon, you know I hate being in here..." she whimpered, fixing him with a helpless puppy gaze. The god just smiled and readjusted her sheet.

"That tone won't work with me right now – I said you're staying for observation."

"But, Carlisle, I want to go home! I'm fine. I've been hurt worse than this falling out of bed." Her voice had lost the wheedling tone and gone straight to frustrated, but he only chuckled, the smooth liquid sound rolling over her spine though she tried her best not to let him see her shiver. By his smirk, she was only partly successful.

"I don't doubt that, _bellissima_, but the fact is that the amount of time you were out for such a minor concussion is a bit worrisome." He sat gently on the edge of her bed, placing one cool hand over hers. His golden eyes urged her understanding. "None of us could bear it if anything happened to you, Bella. We all love you too much. Please, just let me do everything I can to make sure you're okay. Please." Bella sighed.

"You know, that's not fair."

"What's not?" he asked, the picture of innocence. Bella wasn't buying it.

"Uh-huh. You know what I mean. The begging. It's just...not fair. You're playing dirty, Carlisle." Her breath caught as he leaned down closer, until his lips were right beside her ear, his breath teasing her skin as he spoke.

"Oh, you haven't begun to see me play dirty yet," he purred, and there was a startled beeping from a machine beside the bed as Bella's pulse skyrocketed. He sat back up, looking a bit embarrassed, and Bella giggled.

"See what you do to me, Bella?" he whispered. "Making me forget that you're connected to all sorts of machinery that will monitor everything. You really test my control, minx."

"Now, see, if you'd just let me go home, you wouldn't have to worry about any of that, would you?" She chuckled, low in her throat, and enjoyed seeing the intensity blaze in his eyes. She began to slowly walk her fingertips up his arm, never breaking eye contact. "You could put all that tight control on a shelf..." Her fingers reached the inside of his elbow, and she noticed he'd gone still as stone. "...unwind a bit..." Higher on his arm, and he still hadn't moved. "...you just seem so..." She had to sit up slightly as she got to his neck, and he still hadn't twitched a muscle, just staring at her with those damnably gorgeous eyes. "...tense..." She scratched her nails against his neck, and the next thing she knew he was standing three feet from the bed, glancing down at the clipboard that had appeared in his hands. Startled, she made as though to apologize, but he cut her off.

"So we'll see how you're doing tomorrow evening, and if the results look good – oh, hello Miss Weber, Miss Stanley." Bella's eyes snapped towards the door as her two friends opened it and stood there, looking slightly hesitant. Angela grinned, a knowing look in her eyes, before glancing shyly at Carlisle.

"Hello, Dr. Cullen," she said, quietly. The other girl repeated the greeting, and Angela continued. "We just came to see if Bella was okay, and if she could have visitors." Bella watched her friends melt as he smiled warmly at them.

"Of course you can visit. In fact maybe you'll have a bit more luck convincing her to stay here for a couple nights than I have – she's being positively stubborn." He grinned, and the girls blushed.

~You think THIS is stubborn...wait 'til I get out of here,~ she warned him mentally.

~You'll be too busy moaning around my cock to be stubborn,~ he thought back cheekily and she gasped, shaking her head as though to clear it. In the real world, nothing of their mental dialog showing on his face, he stepped closer to the bed and glanced at the monitors.

"Are you okay, Bella? That gasp sounded a bit painful...are you sure you want to wait on your pain medication?" Ever the professional, he made a couple marks on the chart he was holding, and Bella wanted to bite him.

"I'm fine, Carlisle," she stressed. "Now, if you're not going to let me out of here, can you leave so I can talk to my friends?" She saw their eyes widen as she snapped at him, but he just grinned.

"Fine, fine, I can take a hint," he chuckled, turning to the girls with a rueful smile. "See how she treats me? Her caring doctor, her boyfriend's father...just trying to help and this is the thanks I get." Jessica burst out laughing, and Angela brought a hand up to her mouth to hide her chuckle.

"Carlisle..." Bella warned from the bed. He sighed dramatically.

"I'm going, I'm going. I can tell when I'm not wanted..." He walked slowly towards the door, head bowed and steps slow. Even Bella started laughing.

"Edward never told me what a drama queen his dad could be," she said in a stage whisper to her friends who were busy trying not to convulse with mirth. "Seriously, Carlisle, thank you. And I'm sorry I'm making things so...hard for you." He stood up straight and turned around, but she knew her expression showed only innocence.

~You are so in for it when you get home,~ he murmured in her mind as he turned to offer the girls a smile and a nod. Bella waited with her reply until he was almost at the door.

~Looking forward to it...Daddy.~ And she and her friends watched in shock as the normally unflappable, completely composed Dr. Carlisle Cullen walked right into a wall. Bella burst out laughing, collapsing back on her pillow and gasping for breath as tears rolled down her face, her friends gaping in a mixture of shock, awe, and complete amusement as he smiled sheepishly and closed the door behind him. Bella did hope neither of them would look close enough to see the indent where he'd bumped the doorframe, but she doubted they'd even notice.

"Bella, you are so mean!" Jessica managed to speak out around laughter as the two girls pulled chairs over to the side of her bed.

"He deserves it. He's making me stay in here for two days, for observation." She pouted, and Angela shook her head.

"He is the doctor, Bella...if he thinks you need to be here, he's probably right." Bella sighed.

"I know, and I trust him. I just hate being in hospitals."

"Who doesn't?" the other brunette replied sensibly. The blonde at her side giggled.

"I dunno...if that was the kind of doctor I'd get, I might be able to handle being in here more often..." The three girls just chuckled together, and then the mood got serious.

"Did you hear..." Angela trailed off, not sure how to break the news.

"...about Mike?" Jess finished for her, unease on her features. Bella nodded.

"Charlie told me. He said the funeral is next Saturday." Jess nodded. Silence covered the room for a few moments, disturbed only by the occasional beeping from the monitors. After a moment, Jess spoke again.

"A part of me thinks I should be...relieved. I know that sounds horrid. But I'm not. I just feel...nervous."

Bella met her eyes, seeing the confusion in their depths. She tried to be reasonable and comforting.

"It's okay, Jess. This all happened so quick, and with...well, everything else..." Angela was shaking her head slightly, and it interrupted Bella's sentence.

"I know what she means. Bella, something is still...wrong." Bella's mind flashed back to the murmuring she'd heard from Angela as the school exploded. The brunette sat up straighter in her chair. "I sometimes get...feelings. I know it sounds dumb, but hear me out. Something feels – well, not right, right now. Like there's something coming, like a storm or something, but not a real storm...I must sound really stupid," she trailed off. Jess put her hand on her friend's shoulder. Bella just shook her head.

"It doesn't sound stupid at all. Honestly," she added, seeing Angela's disbelieving gaze on hers. "I have...a friend..." She still wasn't sure how much of anything she could tell them, so she tried to make it as vague as possible. "She – this friend of mine – gets...well, they're more than feelings sometimes, she -"

"It's Alice, isn't it?" Angela asked quietly. Bella just gaped. Jess looked from one to the other in confusion, but stayed quiet. "She sees things, doesn't she?"

"How..?" Bella couldn't manage to get anything else out. Angela just smiled, a small tilt of her lips.

"I don't know how I knew. I don't know how I know any of this. But I knew there was something about her that drew me, just like I know that something big is coming. This explosion at the school...this wasn't the end of anything. Now it all begins. I just...I don't know what." The three sat in silence for a while. Bella turned to the presence in her mind.

~Carlisle, there's been...something else. When I get out of here, can we have Jess and Angie come over? I think they need to know what we know. Ask Alice if she thinks it's okay.~ He was quiet for a moment, though she could feel curiosity and puzzlement through the bond. After a moment, he responded.

~She says she thinks it should be okay, though her visions are still fuzzy. What happened?~

~I'll explain later. But Jess, and Angie...somehow, they're connected, I think. Tell Alice I want to talk to her when she gets a chance.~

~I trust you. And I'll pass it on.~

"So, guys...after I get out of here...well, do you two want to come to the Cullen's for dinner one night? I think..." She trailed off, unsure of her words and not wanting to give anything away. "Well, there's something we should all talk about." Her two guests looked at each other, curiosity blatant on their faces, then back at Bella.

"Sure, we'd love to," Angie said.

"I do have a question, though, Bella..." Jess said shyly.

"What's up?" Bella asked.

"Will Esme be cooking?" Jess asked. Angela looked at her and burst out laughing.

"Seriously? THAT'S your question?"

"What? I get hungry more often now! I am eating for two, you know. And last time I was there, Esme made this delicious salmon..." The blonde sighed in rapture, and all three of them burst out laughing.

"I'm sure she will be. Esme loves cooking," Bella said honestly. Just then, there was a tap at the door, and Carlisle poked his head back in.

"I hate to break this up, ladies, but it's getting a bit late, and Bella's overdue for her medication by almost thirty minutes." Bella just rolled her eyes as her friends jumped to their feet.

"So, yeah, let us know when you're out of here," Jess said with a smile. Angie turned an all-knowing smirk on the girl in the bed.

"And remember, don't be too hard on your doctor." She winked as Bella blushed, then turned around to follow Jess out the door. Their simultaneous "Good night, Dr. Cullen" echoed down the hallway as he came back into her room.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly as he stepped closer to the bed. Bella leaned back and closed her eyes, suddenly tired.

"Angela says she gets...feelings. And she knew that Alice is precognitive." He stared at her, eyes wide but saying nothing. "I don't know how she knew, and she doesn't know either. But she knows something is...well, to quote her, something is wrong. And I can't help but think that all of this is connected. So all I could think of was that we should have her and Jess over, and pool our resources. Alice already told me it was okay to tell them certain things, which is why I want to know if she can see anything they specifically should not be told." She yawned, and he brushed his fingers through her hair.

"Stop thinking and get some rest. You've had a long day."

"They're just going to get longer," she murmured, already dozing off.

"But we'll face it together. All of us." His response was lost on the girl who was already out like a light, but he knew by her happy sleep-mumble that she felt the kiss he left on her forehead.

* * *

><p>She found him sitting on the back porch steps, leaning back on his elbows, eyes shut, enjoying the rain. She knew he knew she was there, but she couldn't help but take a moment to observe the man she'd been with since the time of human existence. His inky black hair, soaked through with rain, pooling on the back step like a river of shining liquid obsidian. The way the constant rain had drenched his thin t-shirt, the rich amber color highlighting his bronzed skin, molding itself to a chest most mortal men could only wish to have. His long, toned legs stretched out in front of him, the well-worn jeans clinging to every muscle and ridge, hugging gently at the apex of his thighs and hinting at what lay beneath the denim. The absolute pinnacle of sexuality, more appealing than any incubus she'd ever crossed paths with. It was then that she realized his eyes, those swirling depths that could change color so easily, now dark bronze, were gazing back at her, treating her to the same perusal she'd been bestowing on him. And when his eyes finally traveled back up to meet hers, filled with comprehension, acceptance, sorrow, he sighed.<p>

"We're over now, aren't we?" he asked, the question more a statement than a query. And suddenly, she couldn't be mad at him anymore. He was her friend, her closest confidante, the only one who knew her for what she was, and despite everything she still cared for him. With a sigh of her own, she walked over to sit down beside him.

"I think so, yes. For the first time, looking at you...I saw you as my companion." He nodded, turning slightly to face her, propping his head up on one hand.

"I was just thinking the same thing. In you I saw...my partner. Not my mate." He reached out and ran his hand down her cheek, wiping away a tear she had never felt escape her eyes. "I love you, Lili."

"I will always love you, Luc. And I'm sorry for everything...for not trying to understand."

"It's okay. I deserve your scorn and anger. I should have been honest a thousand years ago, more, when I found myself falling for you. I just never wanted to hurt you, and I couldn't think how to say anything without causing you pain." She leaned into his hand, a small smile on her face.

"I think I needed that pain. I needed to feel it. Because until then, I'd never known true anguish. How am I to fight for this world, these people, without understanding all that it is that I'm fighting for?" She leaned into his embrace and they lay there in the rain, each giving and receiving comfort that – for the first time, really – was not tinged with desire, with lust. Just closeness, and warmth, and solidarity.

"There was an explosion at the school today."

"I heard the commotion, but I didn't...want to intrude," he murmured.

"I understand. But while I was there, I slipped to mist -"

"In front of humans?" he exclaimed quietly, leaning back to look sternly at her.

"No, of course not. They think I ran off to the woods to throw up. Anyway," she said, once he'd relaxed a little, "I went to investigate. There was a body there, but there was something strange about it and it wasn't until I got here that it hit me what was wrong. The energy surrounding the corpse wasn't there. The boy wasn't killed in the blast. He was already dead." Luc sat up, shocked.

"What? Why would anyone do that?" Lili mused for a bit, rolling an idea around in her head before letting it tumble out of her lips.

"I think whoever caused the explosion wants everyone to believe that he died in it. I think he put the body there before the explosion was set off, knowing that it would mangle the features to unrecognizability." She sighed. "What I can't figure out is why. And why I get the feeling it's connected to your playground pal," she said with a smirk, "and with us, and the vampires."

"Vampires?" Lili stopped at his questioning look and laughed.

"I forgot, I never told you. Yes. There are vampires here. I've spoken with them."

"Do they know you?"

"I know the elder knows there is something different. He might be the only one who can grasp what I am. The rest just know I'm not human. But they seem to be posing as humans themselves, so I'm hoping they don't say anything." By this point he'd gone from relaxed to alert, sitting up fully.

"Lili...what have I missed?" So she filled him in on everything, from following Jake and seeing him embracing the human girl in the vampire's kitchen – and by the way his eyes softened and his hand brushed into her hair she knew he felt her anguish at that, but he said nothing and she kept speaking – to the short conversation in the woods with the vampire elder, to the table full of them that she met at the school.

"...and then there was the explosion, and the human – Bella, I mean – was taken to the hospital with a couple other injured people and I told everyone I had to come back here and let you know what happened."

"This is such an unusual town," he murmured when she was done, absently toying with her hair when she laid her head on his shoulders.

"No kidding. Shifters, vampires, murders, disasters...oh, and Luc?"

"Mmm?"

"The other thing about the incident at the school..." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "I felt evil. Pure evil. Luc, I think...you may not be the only Hellbound Forks is hosting right now." He froze, every muscle going taut.

"Lili, tell me – and be very precise – what exactly did you feel? As many details as possible." Startled by his intensity, she thought quietly for a moment.

"It was dark. I could feel it leeching into me even though I was mist." Her voice dropped as she concentrated, murmuring her impressions. "Hatred. Delight at the destruction. Maliciousness. Impatience. Frustration. A desire for vengeance. Over everything, though, was just this...almost rancid, slimy...just abhorrent sensation of true evil. I've never felt anything like it. It felt..."

"It felt what?" he whispered.

"It felt...like it wanted me. Like it wanted to invade me. It was disgusting." He wrapped his arms around her, dragging her tight to him, and she could feel him shaking slightly. "Luc? Is something wrong?"

"I hope I am, but I don't think so."

"Wrong about what?" He sighed and buried his face in her hair for a moment before pulling away and gazing straight at her. The fear and desolation in his eyes made her heart freeze.

"Lili...I think it's Marchosias. I think he's coming to finish the job I couldn't. I think he might be coming to kill you...and he'll take out anything in his path."

"Oh Great God..." she whispered, a desperate plea to a realm she was no longer welcome in. He pulled her close again as she began to cry, and she heard his whisper against her hair.

"We're running out of time."

* * *

><p>Author's note: So here, Faithful Readers, ends Questions of Belief. Stay tuned for the next Book - Ages of Anticipation: Book 3 - Convergence, coming soon to a webpage near you. ;)<p> 


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